Monday, February 28, 2011

Ashley's Never Sleeps: Bell's, Belgians, and When Hops Attack

» If you're in the mood to help Ashley's kill some kegs, Ann Arbor still has a number of Bell's beers left over from last Wednesday's 25th anniversary event with Larry Bell, while Westland has 20 or more Belgian ales still on tap from the Feb. 16-20 Belgian Beer Festival. As an incentive, a couple of Belgians (beers, not, you know, people) will be on special for $2 off a glass until the kegs blow, at which point a couple more will be given the "special" treatment.

Knaves Marcello Grasso and Roy More
enjoy some Belgian ales.

» And speaking of the Belgian festival, owners Jeff More and Roy More declared it to be a big success and plan on doing it again sometime, probably next year. In particular, many people (myself included) enjoyed the food options, which were mostly prepared by Marcello Grasso, former Eve chef and co-owner of From the Hearth Food, a local catering service. Despite failing to be Belgian, Marc turned out an impressive buffet of Belgian-inspired fare, much of it made it with the beers themselves, including salads, dips, sandwiches, sausages, meatballs, fish, Flemish stew, and a fountain of Belgian chocolate. Seriously, dude knows his way around a kitchen and I hope he'll be handling the next Belgian fest as well.

MS Paint, baby... this is the best I got.

» Beginning today, Feb. 28, at Ann Arbor is Attack of the Hops!, featuring some x-tremely big, hoppy beers on tap through March 6, including Bell'sTwo-Hearted and Hopslam, ArborRyeclops, FoundersRed's Rye PA and Double Trouble, Sierra NevadaHoptimum, StoneRuination, New HollandImperial Hatter, North Peak Diabolical, ArcadiaB-Craft Black and Hopmouth, Dogfish Head90 Minute, Short'sHuma Lupa Licious, and more. Bonus: On Thursday, March 3, a firkin of Arcadia Hop Rocket will be tapped at 6pm. All in all, it's a hophead's wet dream... and a malt hound's worst nightmare!